This is the Cadillac ATS Coupe, and as its name suggests, is a two-door version of the ATS compact exec. The relatively sedately-styled coupe, which has made its debut at the ongoing NAIAS in Detroit, is the first production Caddy to wear the new company crest that does without the laurel wreath.
But before we get down to semantics, let's look at the car first. The Cadillac ATS Coupe shares its four-door sister's 2,776-mm wheelbase, but the doors, roof, rear wings and boot lid are new. It also gets a revised grille and front wings that accommodate a wider track.
Depending on trim level, headlamps are projectors, HIDs with front vertical LED signatures or LEDs with Adaptive Forward Lighting. Some variants get illuminated outside door handles, but all get LED tail and third brake lamps.
The Cadillac ATS Coupe is powered by either a 272 hp/400 Nm 2.0 litre four-cylinder turbo (more potent than the sedan's unit) or a 321 hp/373 Nm 3.6 litre V6. The four-pot delivers 90% of peak torque from 2,100 to 5,400 rpm and full twist from 3,000 to 4,600 rpm, allowing the vehicle to do the century sprint in an estimated 5.6 seconds.
Both direct-injected, twin-cam and CVVT-equipped powerplants can be connected to a six-speed Hydra-Matic 6L45 auto with tap-shift control, but the smaller engine can be had with a six-speed manual. Like the sedan, RWD and AWD versions are available.
Cadillac says the ATS Coupe boasts "nearly perfect 50/50 weight balance" and a "low centre of gravity." At the front are multi-link, double-pivot MacPherson struts with a direct-acting stabiliser bar, while the back is propped up by a five-link independent setup. There're also underbody aerodynamic shields, Brembo front brakes and belt-driven, variable-effort ZF steering gear.
Moreover, a driver-adjustable FE3 sports suspension is available. This includes Magnetic Ride Control, a mechanical limited-slip diff, a high-capacity engine cooling system and summer-performance tyres to go with the standard 18-inch aluminium wheels. Magnetic Ride Control 'sees' the road ahead and can change damping every millisecond.
The interior is pretty much carried over from the sedan - although no photos have been released, Cadillac mentions "handcrafted cut-and-sewn" upholstery, "decorative stitching," leather aluminium, carbon fibre and wood. There's OnStar 4G LTE connectivity, Bluetooth, text-to-voice, SiriusXM satellite radio, a 5.7-inch three-window instrument panel display, a head-up display, an 8.0-inch CUE LCD multi-touch screen and Bose sound with Active Noise Cancellation.
Variants equipped with the premium surround sound system get electronic sound enhancement (exclusive to the ATS Coupe, enhances powertrain sounds), 12 speakers and Bose Audio Pilot, which continuously monitors ambient sounds and adjusts the music volume and programme content to make the most of the listening experience. Navigation is available on some variants, while keyless entry and start is standard.
Available safety equipment includes front and rear automatic braking, Lane Departure Warning, Lane Keep Assist, full-speed range Adaptive Cruise Control, Enhanced Side Blind Zone Alert and Rear Cross-Traffic Alert. Eight airbags and StabiliTrak ESC with traction control are standard.
Now, about that new crest. Although you saw it first on the Cadillac Elmiraj concept, this is the first time it's on a production Cadillac. "This new Crest matches the lower, longer, leaner mantra of our current car designs, and reflects the evolution of our Art and Science philosophy," said executive design director Andrew Smith.
"Our goal was to evolve the emblem design to integrate with the new vehicle form while maintaining the core graphic elements that preserve its strong brand recognition. This resulted in retaining the iconic crest shape and colour palette with geometric grid from the original Cadillac family coat of arms," he continued.
The Cadillac logo has in fact changed many times over the course of the carmaker's 112-year history. It was last revised in 1999.
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